I Fought With The Brain, and Not The Gat
November 18, 2010 12:11 PM Subscribe
Songs about fighting the law, and winning.
Mix tape question! I'm looking for songs, maybe hip-hop, but other genres are welcome, that reference a consciousness of one's legal rights and following up on that knowledge. Examples: Mix-a-Lot's "One Time's Got No Case" and Jay-Z's "99 Problems".
Mix tape question! I'm looking for songs, maybe hip-hop, but other genres are welcome, that reference a consciousness of one's legal rights and following up on that knowledge. Examples: Mix-a-Lot's "One Time's Got No Case" and Jay-Z's "99 Problems".
Best answer: From Little Things, Big Things Grow.
That was the story of Vincent Lingiari,
But this is the story of something much more.
How power and privilege can not move a people
Who know where they stand, and stand in the law.
posted by zamboni at 12:23 PM on November 18, 2010 [1 favorite]
That was the story of Vincent Lingiari,
But this is the story of something much more.
How power and privilege can not move a people
Who know where they stand, and stand in the law.
posted by zamboni at 12:23 PM on November 18, 2010 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Cop Killer is basically the antithesis of what I'm looking for, FYI.
posted by norm at 12:24 PM on November 18, 2010
posted by norm at 12:24 PM on November 18, 2010
Take the Money and Run by the Steve Miller Band.
posted by dortmunder at 12:40 PM on November 18, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by dortmunder at 12:40 PM on November 18, 2010 [1 favorite]
A Night In The Woods and Incendarism by the World/Inferno Friendship Society come to mind, but that band's got a lot of songs about happily getting in to and out of trouble. Secret Service Freedom Fighting USA also comes to mind: "This would have been funny if I hadn't got caught, but I did, well there you go" ... "Fuck all the trouble I'm in."
posted by entropone at 12:48 PM on November 18, 2010
posted by entropone at 12:48 PM on November 18, 2010
(Oops, those don't really answer the question, which, erm, I only read half of before scuttling off to find links for songs)
posted by entropone at 12:50 PM on November 18, 2010
posted by entropone at 12:50 PM on November 18, 2010
Hmm, Scissorfight's Granite State Destroyer might qualify, depending on how sympathetic you are to survivalist-types. (Alas, not hip-hop - more of a tongue-in-cheek-yet-kick-ass-mountain-man sort of rock)
Sample lyrics:
"Stand our ground
Mountain compound
When they storm the gate
We retaliate"
posted by usonian at 1:22 PM on November 18, 2010
Sample lyrics:
"Stand our ground
Mountain compound
When they storm the gate
We retaliate"
posted by usonian at 1:22 PM on November 18, 2010
The theme song ("Invincible" by Pat Benetar) from the 80s movie "The Legend of Billie Jean" could fit your criteria. Actually the whole movie is a "hooray for the downtrodden rebel standin' up for their rights" anthem. Loved it as a kid. *fistpump*
posted by cuddles.mcsnuggy at 1:23 PM on November 18, 2010
posted by cuddles.mcsnuggy at 1:23 PM on November 18, 2010
The resolution of Bach's Coffee Cantata is a classic example. Here's the libretto in English; your topic is addressed in the penultimate chunk of text of the narrator's recitative.
I'm almost hesitant to link to this performance (in spite of the costumes), because the narrator must have had something altogether else than coffee backstage, by the sound of it...
Still. It might give you historical depth...
posted by Namlit at 1:24 PM on November 18, 2010
I'm almost hesitant to link to this performance (in spite of the costumes), because the narrator must have had something altogether else than coffee backstage, by the sound of it...
Still. It might give you historical depth...
posted by Namlit at 1:24 PM on November 18, 2010
Oh, sorry, missed the part about hip-hop. I'll take my rubber bangle bracelets and legwarmers and go home now.
posted by cuddles.mcsnuggy at 1:28 PM on November 18, 2010
posted by cuddles.mcsnuggy at 1:28 PM on November 18, 2010
Response by poster: I actually just listened to the Fresh Air interview with Terry Gross, which is why 99 Problems was on the list-- he indicates to the officer that the glove box and the trunk are locked, and that he'll need a warrant to get in there. Frankly, I am not that familiar with the rest of the lyrics, but I thought that verse was great, and then thought of Mix's song, and of course the Dead Kennedys too. It's not exclusive to hip-hop, I just love the subject matter. For every song that talks about the fantasy wish to out-gun the police, I think the ones that preach being smart when fighting the Man are far more clever and relevant. "Who Got The Camera" by Ice Cube is pretty close to what I'm looking for, too, enough to go in the mix.
So just to clarify, genre is not as really important as the theme of fighting the man, but doing so without the cliche of gunning him down.
posted by norm at 1:45 PM on November 18, 2010
So just to clarify, genre is not as really important as the theme of fighting the man, but doing so without the cliche of gunning him down.
posted by norm at 1:45 PM on November 18, 2010
The Beastie Boys "Rhymin' and Stealin'" has the line "I fought the law, and I cold won". Not sure if that's enough content to merit inclusion, but there it is.
hal_c_on: You may want to listen to Jay Z's interview on Fresh Air from earlier this week. He talks about that song, and the incident described in the 2nd verse, which he says is a true story. I won't recount the whole thing here, but it ends with the cop that pulled them over letting them go and them continuing down the highway and seeing a K-9 unit speeding past in the opposite direction towards the area where they were pulled over. So yeah, in that case it kind of is about getting away with it.
posted by Ufez Jones at 1:52 PM on November 18, 2010
hal_c_on: You may want to listen to Jay Z's interview on Fresh Air from earlier this week. He talks about that song, and the incident described in the 2nd verse, which he says is a true story. I won't recount the whole thing here, but it ends with the cop that pulled them over letting them go and them continuing down the highway and seeing a K-9 unit speeding past in the opposite direction towards the area where they were pulled over. So yeah, in that case it kind of is about getting away with it.
posted by Ufez Jones at 1:52 PM on November 18, 2010
Er...on non-preview, what norm said.
posted by Ufez Jones at 1:52 PM on November 18, 2010
posted by Ufez Jones at 1:52 PM on November 18, 2010
April 29, 1992 (Miami) by Sublime might fit with your fighting the man theme, although it's definitely about working outside the law rather than using it.
posted by doctord at 2:35 PM on November 18, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by doctord at 2:35 PM on November 18, 2010 [1 favorite]
Macy Gray's "I Committed Murder".
posted by notjustfoxybrown at 2:38 PM on November 18, 2010
posted by notjustfoxybrown at 2:38 PM on November 18, 2010
The gorgeous Outlaw Song with the beautiful 16 Horsepower.
posted by vito90 at 2:43 PM on November 18, 2010
posted by vito90 at 2:43 PM on November 18, 2010
It's country, not hip hop, but Blake Shelton's Ol' Red, maybe. lyrics here, if you want to see.
posted by lemniskate at 2:59 PM on November 18, 2010
posted by lemniskate at 2:59 PM on November 18, 2010
Actually now that I think of it, country is a great genre for this - there's the Dixie Chick's "Goodbye Earl", Johnny Cash and Merle Haggard are kind of known for the theme as well.
posted by lemniskate at 3:01 PM on November 18, 2010
posted by lemniskate at 3:01 PM on November 18, 2010
Copperhead Road - Steve Earle
Me and My Uncle - Grateful Dead
Outlaw Man - Eagles
posted by timsteil at 4:06 PM on November 18, 2010
Me and My Uncle - Grateful Dead
Outlaw Man - Eagles
posted by timsteil at 4:06 PM on November 18, 2010
It's kind of vague, but Wu World Order:
My marine corps, straight from the trojan war
Black capped crusader, trapped off, flame thrower
Stuck a chain store when I was dirt poor for my reward
Next week the germans have me on a bulletin board
I beat that case, they couldn't identify my face
posted by Kafkaesque at 5:50 PM on November 18, 2010
My marine corps, straight from the trojan war
Black capped crusader, trapped off, flame thrower
Stuck a chain store when I was dirt poor for my reward
Next week the germans have me on a bulletin board
I beat that case, they couldn't identify my face
posted by Kafkaesque at 5:50 PM on November 18, 2010
Best answer: There's a verse in I Come Prepared by K'naan that might fit:
How many immigrants are in this here sedan
And is anyone carryin' any contraband
Not really but I'm late for my concert man
And here's a card for my lawyer Mr. Sam Goldman
posted by sigmagalator at 11:37 PM on November 18, 2010
How many immigrants are in this here sedan
And is anyone carryin' any contraband
Not really but I'm late for my concert man
And here's a card for my lawyer Mr. Sam Goldman
posted by sigmagalator at 11:37 PM on November 18, 2010
Just to nitpick, the Dead Kennedys song is actually about a dirty cop:
posted by beerbajay at 4:08 AM on November 19, 2010
The law don't mean shit if you've got the right friendsOr about everyday American 'justice', if you want.
...
You can get away with murder if you've got a badge
...
I am the law
So I won
posted by beerbajay at 4:08 AM on November 19, 2010
Response by poster: Good catch, bbj-- I have long thought about that song in the context of the obscenity trial, but some cursory googling and the lyrics make it clear your interpretation is right.
Frankly I am disappointed in many of the answers. It is pretty clear that most people didn't read the question or utterly missed what I'm looking for. I'm not at all interested in vigilantism, violent confrontations, or the like. I'm looking for intelligent, within the law responses-- the clever twist of the common cliche of 'the police/law/whoever is messing with me' from 'so I smoked his ass' to 'I will fight back by knowing my rights'.
posted by norm at 8:47 AM on November 19, 2010
Frankly I am disappointed in many of the answers. It is pretty clear that most people didn't read the question or utterly missed what I'm looking for. I'm not at all interested in vigilantism, violent confrontations, or the like. I'm looking for intelligent, within the law responses-- the clever twist of the common cliche of 'the police/law/whoever is messing with me' from 'so I smoked his ass' to 'I will fight back by knowing my rights'.
posted by norm at 8:47 AM on November 19, 2010
Response by poster: No, my question was entirely clear, especially after my follow up remarks, and many commentators just straight up ignored what I wrote and wrote what they felt like. It's irritating. I will now go back to hating.
posted by norm at 9:11 AM on December 21, 2010
posted by norm at 9:11 AM on December 21, 2010
Response by poster: Oh, and one more thing: 99 Problems' lyrics exactly fit what I was talking about. The video depiction of Mr. Z's violent murder doesn't change that.
posted by norm at 9:13 AM on December 21, 2010
posted by norm at 9:13 AM on December 21, 2010
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Speaking of Mix-a-Lot, his "My Hooptie" narrates a tale of getting pulled over by the policy, who have to release him because "Yes I'm legit so they gotta let me go / This bucket ain't rollin' in snow."
There's also, depending on how far you want to go with this, the entire 2 Live Crew "Banned in the USA" album ("The First Amendment gave us freedom of speech / So what you sayin', that didn't include me?" among other lines).
This isn't necessarily a "know your rights" themed song, but I can't help but mention Tupac's "Picture Me Rollin'," released just after he left jail and directed at all the legal personnel who tried to keep him there.
posted by jeffmshaw at 12:19 PM on November 18, 2010